Fairbanks police will hand out glow sticks to trick-or-treaters Halloween night

Fairbanks police officers and volunteers will hand out glow sticks to trick-or-treaters in Fairbanks neighborhoods Saturday from 5:45 to 9 pm, the department said in a Facebook post announcing the return of its Halloween safety campaign, "Operation Glow."

The goal is to "help make sure they're safe and seen," the Fairbanks Police Department said Friday. Its graphic shows officers with children and costumed characters at night under the banner "Be safe! Be Seen!" University of Alaska Fairbanks police shared the post the same afternoon.

North Pole police will run their own glow stick patrols. In an Oct. 22 Facebook post, the North Pole Police Department said officers will patrol North Pole neighborhoods handing out glow sticks to trick-or-treaters. Its flyer lists the hours as 6 to 9 pm Saturday under the Operation Glow name.

The handouts come after a week of icy-road warnings in the Fairbanks area. Freezing rain Thursday left slick spots on roads, and police urged people to avoid unnecessary travel, Alaska News reported Oct. 29.

The state's highway safety plan says reflective materials and active lights can substantially increase the distance at which drivers detect pedestrians at night.

Alaska recorded 15 pedestrian deaths in 2024, up from 13 in 2023, according to the state's highway safety annual report. Pedestrians made up 18% of Alaska traffic deaths from 2017 to 2021, and pedestrian deaths reached 16 in 2021, according to the state's 2024-2026 highway safety plan.

On the UAF campus, university safety guidance advises people walking at night to travel in pairs or request an escort from a community service officer.